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In the fast-paced world of global finance, treasury management has traditionally been viewed as a back-office function—necessary but not particularly exciting. However, David Hannah, CEO of Finmo, is on a mission to change that perception by bringing "sexy” back to treasury through innovative technology solutions.

In a recent episode of the Digital Transformation and Leadership podcast, recorded live at Money20/20 Asia 2025, Hannah shared insights on how Finmo is revolutionising treasury operations for mid-market enterprises operating globally.

The Treasury Problem

For decades, CFOs and treasury teams have faced the same challenges:

• Managing multiple currencies across different markets
• Reconciling payments from various sources
• Handling foreign exchange and currency risks
• Navigating complex regulatory environments

As Hannah explains, "Everyone has a treasury problem. Managing global currencies, trying to reconcile payments, doing FX and currency exchange. And there wasn't necessarily a single solution that was solving that end-to-end problem for treasurers and CFOs."

The problem has only intensified with globalisation. Companies are now "day one global," operating across multiple jurisdictions from inception, which brings additional complexity in terms of currency restrictions, regulations, entity structures, taxation, and cross-border payments.

The Excel Spreadsheet Dilemma

Perhaps most surprisingly, many mid-market enterprises are still managing their treasury operations through manual processes and Excel spreadsheets.

"I almost always fall off my chair hearing that," Hannah admits. "Can't imagine a mid-level enterprise with multiple entities around the globe managing it through Excel."

This reliance on manual processes means CFOs spend valuable time logging into multiple bank accounts, downloading transactions into spreadsheets, and manipulating data—time that could be better spent on strategic decision-making.

Finmo's Solution: The Treasury Operating System

Finmo has developed what they call the world's first all-in-one treasury operating system, designed to simplify payments, automate mission-critical treasury functions, and empower businesses to transact optimally.

The platform takes a modular approach with four core components:

1. Money Movement

• Traditional payment capabilities
• Cross-border transactions
• Multi-currency holding and balances

2. Cash Management and Visibility

• Connects to existing bank accounts (OCBC, DBS, Citi, J.P. Morgan, etc.)
• Provides a single dashboard view of cash across all accounts
• Eliminates the need for manual downloads and Excel manipulation
• Includes "Finmo Earn" for maximising returns on excess liquidity

3. FX Management

• Currency conversion
• Hedging capabilities to manage currency risk
• Forward-looking tools for planning 30, 60, 90 days ahead

4. Integrations and Accounting Software

• Connects with existing accounting systems
• Ensures seamless data flow between treasury operations and financial reporting

By automating these treasury functions, Finmo aims to elevate the role of the CFO from a back-office position to a strategic partner in the business.

"Historically it's been just a back-office role," Hannah notes. "But my CFO plays a very strategic role. I rely on my CFO to help me make key strategic decisions, and he can't do that unless he's able to efficiently understand where the cash is and what we're doing."

With real-time visibility into cash positions, currency exposures, and liquidity, CFOs can focus on strategic decision-making rather than manual data gathering and reconciliation.

The Finmo Approach

What sets Finmo apart from competitors is their approach to working with banks rather than trying to replace them.

"We don't want to be the bank," Hannah explains. "We're actually connecting into the banks. So if you have an OCBC, DBS, Citi, J.P. Morgan spread out all over the region, you actually view your cash through those bank accounts through the Finmo platform."

This approach has led to partnerships with major financial institutions, including PayPal and Citi, who participated in Finmo's recent Series A funding round.

Building for Focus and Strategic Clarity

Hannah attributes much of Finmo's success to the team's focus and strategic clarity. Rather than chasing "the next shiny object," they've built a concept of "top five initiatives" that everyone in the company aligns around.

"I'm probably pretty anal about not getting distracted by the next shiny object," Hannah admits. "People are clear as to the initiatives that are essentially going to move the needle in the company."

This focus has helped Finmo build a product-led, tech-focused company that has achieved profitability while maintaining a conservative approach to spending.

The Future of Treasury

Looking ahead, Hannah sees opportunities in emerging technologies like AI and stablecoins, though he approaches these with caution.

For AI, Finmo is exploring applications in compliance processes, workflow automation, and providing analytics to CFOs—creating a "Netflix-type experience" that makes recommendations based on financial data.

On stablecoins, Hannah sees potential for faster settlement if regulatory clarity continues to emerge, viewing them simply as "another currency" that could enhance the platform's capabilities.

Advice for Finance Leaders

When asked what advice he would give to finance or fintech leaders focused on back-office transformation, Hannah's response was simple: "Help is on its way."

For entrepreneurs and business leaders more broadly, his message is about resilience: "Every day there will be a challenge, there'll be a blocker. But the thing is, you achieve nothing from giving up. Just wake up, it's another day. Tackle the problem, keep moving forward."

Guest:
David Hanna, CEO and co-founder, Finmo.

Host:
Danny Levy, Managing Director, Money20/20 Asia, Founder of the Digital Transformation & Leadership Podcast

Producer:
Danny Levy, Managing Director, Money20/20 Asia, Founder of the Digital Transformation & Leadership Podcast